Why am I passionate about this?
I was born and grew up in Seoul. My bestselling debut novel has been longlisted for the 2024 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the 2024 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize and shortlisted for the 2024 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. My book is inspired by my great-aunt, one of the oldest women who had escaped alone from North Korea. It is available from Harper Perennial in the U.S. and Virago in the UK. The novel’s translations continue to meet readers worldwide, including in Italy, Romania, Greece, Denmark, Spain, Switzerland, and South Korea.
Mirinae's book list on villainous heroines
Why did Mirinae love this book?
Like Zenia, Lila, the crafty protagonist of this book, is a born charmer. With her wicked intelligence and unique beauty, she turns heads and stirs controversy wherever she goes, attracting admirers and haters.
She is unafraid of fighting men’s violence with violence–she carries a shoemaker’s knife to deter the unwanted advances of suitors–and she is not hesitant to describe herself as mean.
Elena, Lila’s best friend and the novel’s narrator, comes in second after Lila in many things in life, including academic excellence and boys’ attention, and often suffers caught between love and jealousy toward Lila.
14 authors picked My Brilliant Friend as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
OVER 5 MILLION COPIES SOLD IN ENGLISH WORLDWIDE
OVER 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD IN THE UK
OVER 14 MILLION COPIES OF THE NEAPOLITAN QUARTET SOLD WORLDWIDE
NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES
GUARDIAN 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21st CENTURY
58 WEEKS ON THE BOOKSELLER'S TOP 20 ORIGINAL FICTION BESTSELLERS LIST
SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2015
43 INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS DEALS
Now in B-format Paperback
From one of Italy's most acclaimed authors, comes this ravishing and generous-hearted novel about a friendship that lasts a lifetime. The story of Elena and Lila begins in the 1950s in a poor but…